This invention relates generally to gun-mounted illumination devices and, in particular, to apparatus enabling certain types of commercially available flashlights to be mounted on or within the forward end of a firearm""s magazine.
Various patents have issued in conjunction with mountable illumination devices for handguns, rifles and other weapons. U.S. Pat. No. 1,201,052, for example, relates to improvements in the construction of firearms, and more particularly, to guns, revolvers and the like which are adapted to incorporate a mechanism for operating an electric flashlight. Integrally formed below the gun barrel, and parallel thereto, is a cylindrical member into which a battery is inserted. A lamp is carried in the cap, which is frictionally engaged on the forward end of the member to position the lamp relative to the battery. A pushbutton is positioned so as to be conveniently operated by the finger of one holding the gun. Pressure on the pushbutton operates a triangular lever which, in turn, causes contact with an end of the battery causing it to illuminate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,222,511 resides in a gun barrel mounted flashlight mount and switch. The flashlight or alternative illumination means includes a body portion which may be readily removably secure to a gun barrel or gun stock in a manner so as to position the illumination means to cast a beam of light along the line of sight of the gun barrel. The illumination means may be of a special construction or may be in the form of a somewhat modified conventional flashlight. An automatic switch responsive to positioning the body of the flashlight is serially connected in a bypass circuit, and thus may be utilized to activate the illumination means independently of the conventionally manually actual switch means. A pair of spring clip assemblies are provided and utilized to removably secure the flashlight to hand grip portion of the stock. Each spring clip includes a resilient U-shape portion which is adapted to be clampingly engaged with the hand grip portion and a C-shape resilient portion which is adapted to be clampingly engaged with the body of the flashlight.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,513,851 is directed to a flashlight attachment for guns. The attachment is in the form of a small cylindrical insulated housing to be positioned in the forward open end of the cartridge magazine of a shot gun and to be removably held in fixed position therein and protected thereby. The housing contains the usual flashlight components, and the forward end thereof, projecting from the magazine, is provided with a rotatable cap functioning to hold the flashlight components within the housing and further serving as a means for turning the flashlight on and off.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,933 is directed to police officers faced with the problem that when a flashlight is held in one hand and the gun in the other, the officer is at a disadvantage since he usually cannot aim accurately using only one hand. It is also difficult to point both a flashlight and a gun accurately towards the same target. It is therefore an object of the invention to allow the use of a firearm and flashlight or other object simultaneously while maintaining a conventional two-handed grip on the weapon. To solve this problem, a firearm such as a handgun or shotgun has a handle or grip for holding or supporting the firearm while pointing the barrel at a target. The grip has at least one groove aligned parallel to the barrel of the firearm for locating or seating a generally cylindrical object such as a flashlight or baton against the grip to allow the firearm and object to be gripped simultaneously while pointing in the same direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,208 resides in a compact flashlight having an external diameter and length comparable to a typical single AA cell flashlight, but with much higher emitted light intensity. FIG. 10 of the patent shows a simplified longitudinal (side) view showing the manner of attachment of the flashlight to conventional weapon for target illumination. The flashlight is typically held under the barrel of weapon by a clamp which engages the body of flashlight so that light beam is substantially aligned with weapon boresight and bullet trajectory. FIG. 11 of the patent is a simplified, transverse, cross-sectional view through the body of the flashlight when mounted on the weapon, looking toward the muzzle with batteries exposed. The clamp partially encircles the body of the flashlight and is held in place by, for example, screws. FIG. 12 depicts a further embodiment in which a switch is remote from the tail cap, and is desirably mounted on the front face of the weapon grip, e.g., by Velcro or adhesive or a combination thereof, and coupled to flashlight by electrical leads. This arrangement allows the flashlight to be turned on and off while holding the weapon in its firing position.
A mounting apparatus for the quick-detachable securing of a flashlight or a like target illumination device to a firearm is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,346. The mounting device includes a passage for receiving the barrel of the flashlight. The passage is provided with a resilient means to press the flashlight longitudinally along approximately the same axis as the firearm""s barrel in opposition to a springably-positioned latch system engaging one end of the flashlight which prevents its dislodgment upon movement of the firearm during handling or discharge, yet enabling relatively quick, one-handed release and replacement of the entire flashlight. The flashlight is prevented from rotating in the passage by a groove in the interior of the passage that engages part of the flashlight body thereby indexing it so that the flashlight""s controls are always in the same position and accessible to the user.
Despite these approaches, the need still remains for apparatus and methods for mounting illumination devices with respect to firearms such as rifles, preferably without modification to the gun, thereby allowing the illumination device to be installed and removed in a straightforward manner without modification to the gun.
This invention provides a tactical and/or home defensive lighting capability to weaponry. A standard magazine end-cap is unscrewed and replaced with the light-mounting adapter by screwing it onto the end of the magazine tube. A flashlight is mounted inside the mounting adapter facing forward, so that some portion of the flashlight""s battery compartment may extend into the magazine tube. When mounted, the flashlight may be largely internal to the firearm. The exact depth that the flashlight may extend into the magazine tube can vary. A spring guide may be placed on the inside end of the flashlight in order to center the spring in the magazine tube. After installation, the magazine capacity may be slightly lowered.